Silent Paper Shredders – Is It Possible?

Do silent paper shredders exist? While the ultimate goal of a completely silent paper shredder does not yet exist, there are some very quiet models out there. If you work in an office, quiet can be very nice. Here are a few tips that should help you locate a quiet paper shredder for use at home or in the office.

To begin with, you have probably heard them. Paper shredders that sound like a lawn mower. I don’t know about you, but I really hate a loud shredder. There are few things you can keep an eye open for when shopping for a quiet shredder, and if you already own one, there are a few things you can do to quiet it down.

Quiet Shredder Tips & Ideas

Decibel Rating – The decibel rating is how much noise the shredder produces when turned on. The higher the decibel rating, the louder the shredder. Most shredders will now let you know what the decibel rating is somewhere in the specifications. Here are a few decibel rated objects that should help you determine what’s quiet and loud:

Library – 30 Decibels

Telephone Dial Tone – 80 Decibels

Standard Motorcycle – 100 Decibels

Gun Shot – 140 Decibels

Most shredders run anywhere from 50-70 decibels. Anything in the 50-60 decibel range is pretty quiet.

Strip Cut & Cross Cut – This probably comes as no surprise, but a strip cut shredder is typically quieter than a cross cut shredder. This is because strip cut shredders have fewer parts, less-complex blades and do less cutting. The only downside is that strip cut shredders aren’t as secure as their cross cut counterparts. You can find both our cross cut and strip cut shredders here.

Shredder Oil – Shredder oil, believe it or not, will help keep your shredder quieter. This is because it cuts down on noise-causing vibrations and friction. You can find our shredder oil here.

So there you have it, three of the most important things to consider when looking for a quiet shredder. Luckily most modern-day shredders are much quieter than shredders from just a decade ago. Hopefully, with time and technology, shredders will become even quieter.

You can find our entire selection of paper shredders here. Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.